Quarry site for the Ho Citadel discovered

Archaeologists working in north Vietnam have discovered the stone quarry most probably used to provide the construction material for the Ho Citadel, which was inscribed as a World Heritage Site earlier this year.

A quarry that provided the material to build the Ho Dynasty Citadel has been discovered 2km northwest from the citadel in the central province of Thanh Hoa.

Ho Dynasty Citadel’s Heritage Preservation Centre director Do Quang Trong said that officers discovered the quarry while studying the area around the citadel.

It is located in Vinh Loc District’s Vinh Yen Commune, cut out of a cliff that rises 126.5m and covers an area of over 25ha.
The centre has unearthed 21 flagstones scattered across a wide area.

Based on cutting marks on the surface of the stones and comparisons with stones from the citadel, experts said that the stones were intended for the citadel but discarded because of faults such as cracks and size.